Relay with hinge structure



Nov. 21, 1967 ,FLUDERETAL 3,354,414

RELAY WITH HINGE STRUCTURE Filed March 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheetl E??? 38 33 FI G Z 33 40 39a. 3O 38 F165 41 23 f 78 2O 6O 74 68 r (Q x/////// 7 H63 E i 56 EM 44;

fi [IL 26 A l E E INVENTORS CHESTER HFLUDER E 1 L3 YMATTHEWRHEag L m 7 69);...

ATTORNEY 1967 c H. FLUDER ET AL 3,354,414

' RELAY WITH HINGE STRUCTURE Filed March 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENYTORS CHESTER H. FLUDER MATTHEW R. H NEY BY 1% A W E? ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,354,414 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,354,414 RELAY WITH HINGE STRUCTURE Chester H. Fluder, Wheeling, and Matthew R. Heeney, Niles, Ill., assignors to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,057 Claims. (Cl. 335-124) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electromagnetic relay with a spring hinge structure.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of our copending application Ser. No. 452,763, filed May 3, 1965 now abandoned.

Our present invention relates generally to relays, and, more particularly, to relays of the type comprising an electromagnet, armature means, mounting means for the armature means to accommodate movement of the latter relative to the electromagnet, and contact carrier means secured to the armature means.

Heretofore it has been standard to use a pin hinge for mounting the armature means of a relay. Such mounting means have several major disadvantages. First, pin hinges do not have a very long mechanical life and tend to fail well below 100 million cycles of operation. Secondly, the reliability of the relay is impaired due to the friction between the relatively movable members of the pin hinge and further due to the presence of foreign particles that are generated by the friction members of the pin hinge. Finally, the efiiciency of the magnetic path of the relay at the pin hinge is impaired due to the normally high magnetic reluctance of the latter.

It is an object of our present invention to provide a relay wherein the mounting means for the armature means has extremely long mechanical life and is capable, for example, of withstanding a minimum of 100 million cycles of operation.

It is another object of our present invention to provide a relay wherein the mounting means is entirely frictionless. By eliminating friction at the mounting means and the generation of foreign particles attendant to such friction, reliability of the relay is immeasurably increased.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a relay wherein the mounting means for the armature means has a low magnetic reluctance thereby improving the efiiciency of the magnetic path of the relay at the mounting means.

In accomplishing the foregoing objects of our present invention, we propose to use resilient means in the form of a flat spring for mounting the armature means to accommodate movement of the latter relative to the electromagnet.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using relays in accordance with the principles of our present invention, we shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of our invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of relay incorporating the principles of our present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the relay of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal view, on an enlarged scale, of the relay of FIGURE 1, taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the relay of FIGURE 3 illustrating the armature means and the mounting means therefor in an unrestricted position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the portion of the relay shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of relay incorporating the principles of our present invention;

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the relay of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal view, on an enlarged scale, of the relay of FIGURE 6, taken substantially along the line 8-8 in FIGURE 6, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of an interior portion of the relay of FIGURE 8, taken substantially along the line 9--9 in FIGURE 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and illustrates the armature means and the mounting means therefor in an unrestricted position; and

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the armature means and the mounting means therefor shown in FIG- URE 9.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 one embodiment of relay incorporating the principles of our present invention. The relay 20 comprises a main housing section or support structure 22, a secondary or contact housing section 23, and opposed side cover members 24, all suitably fabricated of a non-conductive material.

Arranged within the housing section 22, as best shown in FIGURE 3, is a coil and frame assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 26. The assembly 26 includes an electromagnet 28 having a conventional coil 30 and a core 32 of magnetic iron extending axially through the coil. The windings of the coil 30 have suitable connection with horizontally spaced electric-a1 terminals 33 mounted in the lower portion of the housing section 22 (FIGURE 2). Associated with the electromagnet 28 is a generally L-shaped frame member 34 of magnetic iron, with one leg portion 36 being located at one end of the electromagnet 28 transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion 38 extending longitudinally of the electromagnet at one side thereof. The leg portion 36 of the frame member 34 is suitably secured, as by screw mean-s, both to the adjacent end of the core 32 and to the relay housing. The core 32 and frame member 34 serve to define core means with spaced end portions.

The upper end of the leg portion 3 8 of the frame member 34 has secured thereto, as by screws 39, a steel mounting block 40. The screws 39 extend through elongated apertures 41 (FIGURE 5) in the mounting block 40, and coact with a locking bar 3911 to lock the mounting block 40 to the frame leg portion 38. The apertures 41 serve to accommodate vertical adjustment of the mounting block 40 relative to the leg portion 38 of the frame member 34, and the position of the mounting block 49 is adjusted so that the armature is slightly spaced therefrom (about .010 inch) when the armature is manually pulled into initial seated position with the top of core 32. Thu-s, during operation, energization of the coil 30 causes the armature to successively seat on the core and frame members. The upper edge 42 of the mounting block 40 is formed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the electromagnet whereby to provide a seat for a purpose to .be presently described. The coil and frame assembly 26 further includes a generally L- sliaped armature 44 preferably fabricated of magnetic iron. One leg portion 46 of the armature 44 overlies the upper end of the electromagnet 28 and the other leg portion 48 extends downwardly along the side of the elect-romagnet 28 opposite the leg portion 38 of the frame member 34. Secured t the outer end of the leg portion 46 of the armature 44, as by screw means, is a steel mounting block 50'.

Extending between the mounting blocks 40 and 50 is resilient means 52 in the form of a flat spring fabricated, for example, of magnetic material, such as carbon steel. One side of the flat spring 52 is secured to the seat 42 of the mounting block 40 by means of a steel plate member 54, and rivets 55 extending through the mounting block 40, flat spring 52 and plate member 54. The opposite side of the flat spring 52 is secured to the downwardly projecting end of the mounting block 50 by means of a steel plate member 56, and rivets 57 extending through the mounting block 50, fiat spring 52 and plate member 56. The width of the fiat spring 52 is substantially greater than its length and relatively thin to provide the most desirable spring rate with the maximum magnetic flux path to define a highly efficient unit. The hinge for the armature further causes lateral movement thereof and a further wiping action on the contacts since the armature seats first on the core and then on the frame member. During the last seating action, the armature is pulled laterally toward the hinge.

Because the resilient flat spring 52 is supported in the angular seat 42 which is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of the electromagnet, it erves to bias the armature 44 away from the upper end of the core 32; and if unrestricted, the armature would normally assume the position shown in FIGURE 4. However, we have found it desirable to adjustably limit the spacing between the armature 44 and the upper end of the core 32 when the electromagnet 28 is energized. Therefore, we provide, as shown in FIGURE 3, adjustable stop means in the form of a screw 58 which is threaded through the top wall of the housing section 22 and is engageable by the leg portion 46 of the armature 44. A nut 60 is disposed on the upper end of the screw 58 to permit locking of the latter in any adjusted vertical position.

When the electromagnet 28 is energized, the resilient flat spring 52 serves to accommodate movement of the armature, under the attractive force of the electromagnet, toward the core 32. When the electromagnet 28 is deenergized, the resilient flat spring 52 serves to return the armature 44 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. During movement of the armature 44 toward and away from the core 32, the upper end of the leg portion 38 of the frame member 34 serves as a seat for the leg portion 46 of the armature 44 after the leg portion has first seated on the core 32. It will be readily appreciated that the extent of movement of the armature 44 may be varied by adjusting the position of the stop screw 58, while the return force imposed on the armature by the spring 52 may be varied by adjusting the position of the mounting block 40.

The armature 44 of our relay has associated therewith a contact carrier assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 62. The contact carrier assembly 62 includes a carrier member 64 which is suitably secured to the leg portion 48 of the armature 44. The carrier member 64 has secured therein, as by angle brackets 65 riveted in position, generally laterally extending resilient metal contact brushes 66 which each carry at their outer ends a pair of spaced crowned rivet contacts 68. Each of the contacts 68 is cooperatively related with an adjacent closed between the latter contacts; conversely, when a particular pair of contacts 68 are separated from the adjacent contacts 70, the circuit is opened between the latter contacts. If a cooperating set of contacts are to be normally open-when the electromagnet 28 is unenergized,

the contacts 78 are mounted facing upwardly in the posts 72 and the associated contact brush 66 is mounted in the carrier 64 so as to overlie the associated stationary contact post 72. On the other hand, if a cooperating set of contacts are to be normally closed when the electromagnet 28 is unenergized, the contacts 78 are mounted facing downwardly in the posts 72 and the associated contact brush 66 is mounted in the carrier 64 so as to underlie the associated stationary contact post 72. In the relay 20 there are twelve sets of contacts, half of which are normally open and the other half normally closed.

When the electromagnet 28 is energized and the armature 44 is attracted to the core 32, the contact carrier assembly 62 is moved with the armature thereby opening the normally closed contacts and closing the normally open contacts. When the electromagnet 28 is de-energized and the armature 44 and contact carrier assembly 62 are returned by the spring 52 to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the normally closed contacts are again closed and the normally open contacts are again opened. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the total number of sets of contacts, as well as the relative number that are open and closed, may be changed in accordance with application requirements.

To permit indirect visual observance of the operative position of the enclosed contact carrier assembly 62, there is secured to the upper end of the carrier member 64 an indicator member 76 having an upwardly extending arm portion 77. When the electromagnet 28 is unenergized and the carrier member 64 is in the position shown in FIGURE 3, the arm portion 77 projects through an opening in the upper wall of the housing section 23 and is visible through a transparent protective lens or dome 78. When the electromagnet 28 is energized and the carrier member 64 is swung downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 3, the arm portion 77 is withdrawn from the dome 78 and is hidden from view.

Referring now to FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, we shall described another embodiment of relay of our present invention which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 80. The relay 80 is comprised of a main housing section or support structure 82, a secondary or contact housing 84, and top and bottom cover members '85 and 86, all suitably fabricated of a non-conducting material. A mounting bracket plate 87 may be secured to the end of the main housing section 82.

Arranged within the housing section 82, as best shown in FIGURE 8, is a coil and frame assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 88. The assembly 88 includes an electromagnet 90 comprised of a conventional coil 92 and an iron core 94 extending axially therethrough. The windings of the coil 92 have suitable connection with vertically spaced electrical terminals 95 mounted in the housing section 84. The assembly 88 further includes a generally L-shaped iron frame member 96 with one leg portion 98 being located at one end of the electromagnet 90 transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion 100 being spaced from and extending longitudinally of the electromagnet 90 at one side thereof. The leg portion 98 of the frame member 96 is suitably secured, as by screw means, to the adjacent end of the core 94, the housing section 82 and mounting plate 87. Formed in the end of the leg portion 100 of the frame member 96 is a recessed seat 102 which is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the electromagnet 90.

Additionally, a generally L-shaped iron pole piece 104 is provided with one leg portion 106 being located at the other end of the electromagnet 90 transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion 108 extending longitudinally of the electromagnet 90 at the same side of the latter as the leg portion 100 of the frame member 96. The end of the leg portion 108 of the pole piece 104 is formed with a laterally projecting pole face 110. The core 94, frame member 96 and pole piece 104 serve to define core means with spaced end portions. Located at the side of the electromagnet 90 and extending generally longitudinally thereof is an iron armature 112 with one end being located adjacent the leg portion 100 of the frame member 96 and with the other end overlying the pole face 110 of the pole piece 104.

Resilient means 114 in the form of a flat carbon steel spring serves to interconnect the armature 112 with the frame member 96. More particularly, one end of the flat spring 114 is secured in the recessed seat 102 of the frame member 96 by means of a steel pad member 116, and rivets 117 extending through the leg portion 100, flat spring 114 and pad member 116. The other end of the flat spring 114 is secured to the armature 112 intermediate of the ends thereof by means of a spacer 118, a steel pad member 120, and rivets 121 extending through the armature 112, spacer 118, fiat spring 114 and pad member 120. By supporting the resilient flat spring 114 in the angular seat 102, the spring serves to bias the armature 112 away from the pole face 110. The armature 112 and mounting spring 114 are shown in an unrestricted position .in FIGURES 9'and l0.

Secured t0 the armature 112, as by rivets, is the leg portion 122 of a generally L-shaped brass bracket member tween the armature 112 and the pole face 110 of the pole piece 104;when'the electromagnet 90 is unenergized, may

'be' readily adju's'tedfAs in the relay 20, when the electro- .ma g net 90 is energized, the resilient fiat spring 114 serves to accommodate movement of the armature 112, under the attractive force of the; electromagnet, toward the pole face 110. When the electromagnet 90 is de -energized, the resilient flat spring 114' serves to return the armature 112 to the position shown in FIGURE 8.

Associated with the bracket member 124 is a contact carrier assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 130. The contact carrier assembly 130 includes a carrier member 132 which is suitably secured to the leg portion 134 of the armature bracket member 124. The carrier member 132 has secured therein, as by angle brackets 136 riveted in position, generally laterally extending resilient metal contact brushes 138 which each carry at their outer ends a pair of spaced crowned rivet contacts 140. Each of the contacts 140 is cooperatively related with an adjacent rivet contact 142 carried at the end of a stationary contact post 144 projecting through the end wall of the contact housing section 84 and terminating in a U-shaped tab connection 146.

When a particular pair of contacts 140 are disposed in engagement with the adjacent contacts 142, a circuit is closed between the latter contacts; and, when a particular pair of contacts 140 are separated from the adjacent contacts 142, the circuit is opened between the latter contacts. If a cooperating set of contacts are to be normally open when the electromagnet 90 is unenergized, the associated contact brush 138 is mounted in the carrier 132 so as to lie on one side of the associated stationary contact post 144. Alternatively, if a cooperating set of contacts are to be normally closed when the electromagnet 90 is unenergized, the associated contact brush 138 is mounted in the carrier 132 so as to lie on the other side of the associated stationary contact post 144. In either case, the associated contacts 140 and 142 are mounted in facing relation. In the relay 80 there are six sets of contacts, five of which are normally open and the remaining one normally closed.

When the electromagnet 90 is energized and the armature 112 is attracted to the pole face 110, the bracket member 124 and contact carrier 132 are moved with the armature thereby opening the normally closed contacts and closing the normally open contacts. When the electro magnet is de-energized and the armature 112, bracket member 124 and contact carrier 132 are returned by the spring 114 to the position shown in FIGURE 8, the normally closed contacts are again closed and the normally open contacts are again opened. In the relay 80, as in the relay 20, the total number of sets of contacts, as well as the relative number that are open and closed, may be changed in accordance with application requirements.

T 0 permit indirect visual observance of the operative position of the enclosed contact carrier assembly 130, there is secured to the upper side of the carrier member 132 an indicator member 148 having an upwardly extending arm portion 150. When the electromagnet 90 is unenergized and the carrier member 132 is in the position shown in FIGURE 8, the arm portion 150 projects through an opening in the upper wall of the housing section 82 and is visible through a transparent section 152 of a housing extension 154. When the electromagnet 90 is energized and the carrier member 132 is swung toward the latter from the position shown in FIGURE 8, the arm portion 150 is moved sidewise and is hidden from view behind the opaque section 156 of the housing extension 154.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that we have provided two embodiments of relays in which the armature mounting means, in the form of a resilient flat spring, is frictionless and has a low magnetic reluctance, thereby affording optimum reliability and efliciency. Relays built in accordance with the principles of our present invention have extremely long mechanical life and are capable of withstanding a minimum of million cycles of operation.

While we have shown and described what we believe to be preferred embodiments of our present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a relay including a support, an L-shaped frame member secured to said support and having a base portion and an upstanding portion, an electromagnet having a coil and a core of magnetic iron extending therethrough and secured to said base portion whereby said core extends substantially parallel to said upstanding portion, the upper free end of said upstanding portion terminating substantially coplanar with the upper end of said core, an armature adapted to move toward and away from said core and upper end of said upstanding portion, a fixed contact on said support, and a movable contact on said armature coacting with said fixed contact to selectively engage same when the armature is in the energized or de-energized posrtion, the improvement in hinge means mounting said armature on said upstanding portion of said frame member normally biasing said armature away from said core and upstanding portion and causing the armature when being pulled toward said core and upstanding portion to first engage the core, and laterally shift and then engage the upstanding portion of the frame member thereby causing wiping action of said contacts.

2. In a relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said hinge means includes a first mounting block secured to the upstanding portion of said frame member having a seat disposed at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said core, a second mounting block secured to said armature having a seat extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said core, and a flat spring secured at one side to said seat of said first mounting block and secured at its opposite side to the seat of said second mounting block to normally position said armature away from said other end of said electromagnet when the latter is unenergized.

3. In a relay as defined in claim 2, wherein said spring is rectangular and its width extending transverse the armature is substantially greater than its length extending longitudinally of the armature.

4. A relay comprising an electromagnet having a coil and a core, a generally L-shaped frame member with one leg portion being located at one end of said electromagnet transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion extending longitudinally of said electromagnet at one side thereof, said other leg portion of said frame member having a recessed seat disposed at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said electromagnet of less than 45 with the longitudinal axis of said other leg portion, a generally L-shaped pole piece with one leg portion being located at the other end of said electromagnet transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion extending longitudinally of and against said electromagnet at said one side thereof, an armature at said one side of said electromagnet extending generally longitudinally thereof with one end being located closely adjacent and in longitudinal alignment with said other leg portion of said frame member and with the other end overlying said other leg portion of said pole piece, a magnetic flat spring secured at one end in said recessed seat of said other leg portion of said frame member and secured at its opposite end to said armature 'to normally position said other end of said armature away from said pole piece when said electromagnet is unenergized, said fiat spring being rectangular and having a width extending transverse said armature substantially greater than its length extending longitudinally of the armature, and said armature being attracted to said pole piece against the forces of said spring when said electromagnet is energized.

5. A relay comprising an electromagnet having a coil and a core, a generally L-shaped frame member with one leg portion being located at one end of said electromagnet transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with the other leg portion being spaced from and extending longitudinally of said electromagnet at one side thereof, said other leg portion of said frame member having a recessed 8 seat disposed at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said electromagnet of less than 45 with the longitudinal axis of said other leg portion, a generally L shaped pole piece with on leg portion being located at the other end of said electromagnet transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and with othe other leg portion extending longitudinally of said against said electromagnet at said one side thereof and having a laterally projecting pole face, an armature at said one side of said electro magnet extending generally longitudinally thereof with one end being located closely adjacent and in longitudinal alignment with said other leg portion of said frame member and with the other end overlying said pole face of said pole piece, a magnetic fiat spring secured at one end in said recessed seat of said other leg portion of said frame member and secured at its opposite end to said armature intermediate of the ends thereof to normaly position said other end of said armature away from said pole face of said pole piece when said electromagnet is unenergized, said flat spring being rectangular and having a width evtending transverse said armature substantially greater than its length extending longitudinally of the armature, a contact carrier assembly secured to said armature and being disposed in one operative position when said electromagnet is unenergized, and said armature being attracted to said pole face of said pole piece'against the forces of said spring when said electromagnet is energized whereby to move said contact carrier to a second operative position.

References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,994,671 3/1935 Slawik 335 274 2,341,931 2/1944 Lloyd 335187 XR 3,023,286 2/1962 Bourne et al. 335276 XR 3,048,749 8/1962 Koehler 335-274 BERNARD A. 'GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

G. HARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RELAY INCLUDING A SUPPORT, AN L-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A BASE PORTION AND AN UNSTANDING PORTION AN ELECTROMAGNET HAVING A COIL AND A CORE OF MAGNETIC IRON EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND SECURED TO SAID BASE PORTION WHEREBY SAID CORE EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID UPSTANDING PORTION, THE UPPER FREE END OF SAID UPSTANDING PORTION TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID CORE, AN ARMATURE ADAPTED TO MOVE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CORE AND UPPER END TO SAID UPSTANDING PORTION, A FIXED CONTACT ON SAID SUPPORT, AND A MOVABLE CONTACT ON SAID ARMATURE COACTING WITH SAID FIXED CONTACT TO SELECTIVELY ENGAGE SAME WHEN THE ARMATURE IS IN THE ENERGIZED OR DE-ENERGIZED POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENT IN HINGE MEANS MOUNTING SAID ARMATURE ON SAID UPSTANDING PORTION OF SAID FRAME MEMBER NORMALLY BIASING SAID ARMATURE AWAY FROM SAID CORE AND UPSTANDING PORTION AND CAUSING THE ARMATURE WHEN BEING PULLED TOWARD SAID CORE AND UPSTANDING PORTION TO FIRST ENGAGE THE CORE, AND LATERIALLY SHIFT AND THEN ENGAGE THE UPSTANDING PORTION OF THE FRAME MEMBER THEREBY CAUSING WIPING ACTION OF SAID CONTACTS. 